The present invention relates to magnetic disk drives and more particularly to a magnetic disk drive using an improved method for fixing a flexible printed circuit assembly.
Heretofore, magnetic disk drives have been used in various fields. Recently, small-sized magnetic disk drives mounted on portable music players and on small-sized mobile devices have been becoming popular. In such magnetic disk drives, a flexible printed circuit (hereinafter referred to as “FPC”) is used for transfer of information to be read and/or written by a magnetic head.
FIG. 5 shows a layout example of an FPC used in a conventional magnetic disk drive and various components located near the FPC. In FIG. 5, a magnetic disk 12 is mounted to a base member 10 through a spindle motor (not shown). A magnetic head assembly 14 is mounted on the base member 10 and a magnetic head 16 for write and read of information to and from the magnetic disk 12 is provided at a front edge of the magnetic head assembly 14.
Signals of information which the magnetic head 16 writes to and reads from the magnetic disk 12 are exchanged with an external circuit with an FPC 20 coupled to an FPC assembly 22. The FPC assembly 22 is configured such that a metallic plate or the like is bonded to the FPC and a connector and other components are attached onto the FPC. The FPC assembly 22 is fixed to the base member 10 with screws 24.
For example, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 8-106761) discloses an FPC assembly fixed to a base with screws.